A Great Way to Listen to Scripture (via The Vicar’s Wife)

This is worth a look at and I agree – a great way to Listen (& read) scritpure!

We had a helpful sermon series on Colossians earlier in the year, and I’m looking forward to hearing Lizzy Smallwood speak from the same book at the Northern Women’s Convention on 9th October. In the meantime, this is a brilliant reminder of the riches of Chapter 2. [HT Dan Green] … Read More

via The Vicar’s Wife

Can everyone be changed?

Check out Richard Moy’s Podcast 

CAN EVERYONE BE CHANGED?

LOVE TO THE LOVELESS

If you’re not familiar with Francine Rivers work I’ve found her the most profound of novelists with a knack of getting me thinking about living life better – more Christ-like…..

Pride and Prejudice

One of my faviourite novels is Pride and Prejudice and thanks to the Vicar’s Wife I’ve discovered the website  etsy where they make T-shirts – mugs with quotes from the book…..excellent!

The Bible in the life of the Church project

The Ghost

Last night I went to the cinema to see ’The Ghost’ having read the book, which was amazing.   The film is really worth going to see.  It’s a Roman Polanski version of Robert Harris’s book with Pierce Brosnan and Ewan McGregor playing the UK Prime Minister and a Ghost writer of a book that needs to be written about the Prime Ministers time in Office.  The Ghost stumbles upon something which puts his life in danger.  Who can you trust?  is a question that flows through the film.

Cat Naps

I’ve been looking at a book called Cat Naps and It has some really good sayings in it (as well as pictures) …You try licking yourself all over – it’s a slow process – don’t rush me…or laziness is nothing more than the habit of retiring before you get tired…

Contemplating the cross

I’ve been following the book Contemplating the Cross a Pilgrimage of Prayer by Tricia McCary Rhodes.

Her Last chapter – epilogue is entitled Resurrection and starts with a quote by Dorothy L. Sayers…The Disciples had seen the strong hands of God twist the crown of thorns into a crown of glory, and in hands as strong as that they knew themselves safe…They had expected a walkover, and they beheld a victory; they had expected an earthly Messiah, and they beheld the Soul of Eternity.

Each daily prayer / section of the book has a reflection, read, respond, pray.  It is an amazing book to follow through lent or use with Lent groups – it is very good at making you think about how horrific the cross was and how lucky we are.

The Dream of Rood

Many years ago – the memory abides -

I was felled to the ground at the forest’s edge,

Severed from my roots.  Enemies seized me,

Made of me a mark of scorn for criminals to mount on;

Shoulder-high they carried me and set me on a hill.

Many foes made me fast there. Far off then I saw

The King of all mankind coming in great haste,

With courage keen, eager to climb me…

Then the young Hero – it was God almighty –

Strong and steadfast, stripped himself for battle;

He climbed up on high gallows, constant in his purpose,

Mounted it in sight of many, mankind to ransom.

Horror seized me when the Hero clasped me,

But I dared not bow or bend down to earth.

Nor falter, nor fall; firm I needs must stand.

I was raised up a Rood, a royal King I bore,

The High King of Heaven: hold firm I must.

They drove dark nails through me, the dire wounds still show,

Cruel, gaping gashes, yet I dared not give as good.

They taunted the two of us; I was wet with teeming blood,

Streaming from the warrior’s side when he sent forth his spirit.

High upon a hill helpless I suffered

Long hours of torment; I saw the Lord of hosts

Outstretched in agony; all embracing darkness

Covered with thick clouds the corpse of the World’s Ruler,

The bright day was darkened by a deep shadow,

All its colours clouded; the whole creation wept,

Keened for its King’s fall; Christ was on the Rood.

Yet warriors from afar eagerly came speeding

To where he hung alone. All this I beheld.

 

Anon., translated by Helen Gardner.

I took this from Signs of your kingdom by Michael Perham.

The Gospel According to Starbucks

by Leonard Sweet

I really enjoyed this book – people who know me would say that I am a coffee addict…need I say more.

The book includes quotes like…A cup of coffee commits one to forty years of friendship or Coffee should be black as Hell, strong as death, and sweet as love…both Turkish Proverbs.

Questions under heading – Brewed for thought are threaded throughout the book.  For example: If you could get together with just one person from history for coffee and conversation (other than Jesus), whom would it be?  Why that person?

I wonder who it would be….I have a number of people in mind…Jane Austen and Mozart, are near the top of my list because I enjoy their work…….who would you pick?

This book opens the doors on God in a way that relates to us….especially if you are a coffee drinker…and how ‘Starbucks’ – (or any good coffee shop) and it’s atmosphere could be replicated in our journey of faith. 

It helps us to identify where God is and helps us to see that living with God is not something to be done out of duty or guilt but time given freely, a way of life.  We are invited to become living expressions of God.

I must say that this book does at times seem to dwell on Starbucks a little bit too much but overall it is a good read with insightful questions and if you love coffee an interesting way of relating faith and your favoutie cuppa together.

Father Frank by Paul Burke

I’ve just reread this book and really enjoyed it – a great book of comic fiction.